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Ask: How did you deal with anxiety and panic?

…I was interested when
reading your personal story, that you experienced anxiety and panic attacks…
there is a lot of talk about "energy therapy" that releases the
"trapped" energy in the subconscious mind. I use it sometimes and
it does help to bring me back to a rational state of mind where I can then more
clearly ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Do you have an opinion on this?

If you don't mind
sharing, how did you approach dealing with your anxiety and panic
attacks? Were you using the course at the time? You spoke about
"processing" time with the Holy Spirit. How did you go about
doing that and were you able to remove subconscious blocks and beliefs by doing
that alone?

Sometimes, when doing
the exercises, I feel a literal "block" almost like a brick
wall that makes it very difficult to absorb new thoughts and truths.
–SL

Yes, I used
to experience anxiety and panic attacks. They began before I was a student of A Course in Miracles and continued for
many years after I began the Course.
I got past them not by focusing on them but by growing my awareness of Truth. In
time, as Truth became a real experience for me and not just a nice idea, they fell
away naturally.

If energy
therapy works for you that is great! Use whatever works. You make the choice
for healing and the means for healing manifests in the universe of form in a
way that works for you.

When I
refer to “processing” in my writing I am talking about letting the thoughts
that fill your mind just go on by. For example, if you meditate at the end of
the day your mind is likely to be filled with thoughts about what happened that
day. Just let those thoughts run their course without embracing them or
fighting them. You will find a need to let your mind process not just at the
end of a busy day but often after an intense movie or TV program or when you
are in the midst of any emotional experience. When the processing is done you will
find it easier to quiet your mind and open it to Truth.

Apart from
processing and communing with Truth I also look with the Holy Spirit at
mistaken beliefs that are obstacles to peace. If a false belief is not
conscious, but I know that it is there because of the guilt, fear, and/or anger
I feel, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me find it. Then, with the Holy Spirit, I
look at the belief from an awareness of Truth and undo it. This practice and my
experiences of Truth combine to help me undo my blocks to peace.

Don’t worry
about doing the Workbook perfectly or understanding every lesson. You are not
going to be ready for every idea in it. For one year just do a lesson a day as
best you can that day. You are only meant to practice the lessons for one year,
but you will want to go back and read the Workbook through as you would the
Text. And just as with the Text, you will understand more each time you read it.

>>>>

Learn about the books The ACIM Mentor Articles, The Plain Language A Course in Miracles, and 4 Habits for Inner Peace at www.acimmentor.com.

If you have a question that you want answered in the ACIM Mentor Newsletter/Blog send it to Liz@acimmentor.com and indicate that you want it answered here.

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Comments

robert said…

yes i find it helpful to reread the workbook and generally find "new" ideas to further my study of acim.

Liz - thanks so much sharing your personal approaches to unwelcome feelings. (And it does help me to remember that they are only feelings!)When you used the word "focus" that spoke volumes to me. I know my mind is undisciplined at this point, but I can choose to "focus" it upon the truth as often as I am able. That seems much more "do-able" then disciplining it right now. Now THAT would take a miracle!

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I have been a student of A Course in Miracles since 1984, a life coach since 2000, and a mentor for students of A Course in Miracles and 4 Habits for Inner Peace since 2006. You can learn more about me and what I offer at my website, www.acimmentor.com.